Circuit-extending plug



Patented 11ay10,1921.

H. A. DOUGLAS.

CIRCUIT EXTENDING PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23.1917.

. UNITED sit/T1515 PATENT. oFF-ICE. C

HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF IBRONSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DOUGLAS & RUDD MFG.

' CO., OF BBONSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

GIRGUITEXTENDING PLUG.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1o, 1921.

Application filed J'uly 23, 1917. Serial No. 182,197.

To'all wlwmct may concern:

Be 1t known that I, HARRY A. DoUcLAs,

citizen of the United States, residin at- Bronson, in the county ofBranch and tate of Michigan, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Circuit-Extending Plugs, of which the following is afull, clear, concise, and. exact description.

My; invention relates to circuit connectors and as a number of objectsand advantages in view.

The connector of my invention is inclusive of a contact carrieror coreand a jacket therefor which is formed in body and cap portlons, the bodyportion being so connect- 'ed with the cap portion as to be immovablewith respect thereto preferably in all directions and particularly inrotary directions. The cap is provided with means whereby it may becoupled with the body portion so as to be immovable with respect theretopreferabrlly both rotatably and longitudinally.

he connector of my invention includes a spring jack portion forconnecting -a circuit extending conductor therewith. This spring jack 1sconstructed to'. receive the terminal plug of a conductor. Thearrangement is desirably such that the spring jack will receive theterminal plug when inserted endwise of the plug or when insertedlaterally of the plug, the jack spring or springs having side and endportions that may direct the plug into engagement therewith wheninserted longitudinally or transversely of the lug.

The invention, in all of its aspects, will be fully set forth in thefollowin description of the preferred forms of t e invention 3 "1s alongitudinal sectional view of. the plug and the contiguous portion ofthe shell recelving the same taken at right angles to the direction inwhich the plug shown in Fig. 1 is taken; Fig. 4 is a erspective'view ofthe body portion of the jacket; Fig. 5 is a perspective of the capportion of th re 1 1s a long1tudinal` jacket; Fig. 6 is a view ,on line6-6 of.

1g. 1; Fig. 7 is a view illustratinga modificat1on, this ligure beingtaken online 7-7 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 8 is a view on line 8- 8 of Fig. 7.

Like parts are indicated by similar char-A acters of referencethroughout the different figures.

The circuit extending plug of my invent1on may be employed inconjunctlon with any suitable device whereby the plug'i's instrumentalin connecting a translating device with a circuit that is to supply -thetranslating device with current. Such a deviceV is shown in Fig. 1 andpartially in Fig'. 3, the device'shown being inclusive of a cylindricalmetallic current conductin vshell 1 which has bayonet slots 2- at one enfor receiving the metallic bayonet pins 3 that project from the metallicsheath 4 provided about the base Yof the lamp 5 and adapted forelectrical contact with the shell 1. This sheath constitutes oneterminal of the lamp as the'structure illustrated is a single poleconnector. This lamp base also carries a centrally? disposed contact 6which is insulated from the sheath 4 and which contact 6 constitutes theremaining terminal of the lamp 5. The shell 1 incloses a contact carrier7 of insulating material. A spring 8 presses the contacts 9 and 10, thatare carried by the carrier 7, outwardly, this spring forcing theengagement of thecontact 9 with the contact 6. The shell 1 is groundedor otherwise connected with one terminal of a source of current. Thecontacts 9 and 10 are connected with the other terminal of the source ofcurrent by a circuit extending plug of my invention. l

T he circuit extending plug ofthe invention is inclusive of a metallic'jacket that has a cylindrical metallic body portion 11 and a clrcularmetallic cap portion 12 having a cylindrical skirt 121. The body 0rtion`11 of this jacket andthe metallic s ell 1 are provided withinterengaging coupling formations that are preferably in the nature ofbayonet pins or lugs 13 upon the jacket bod in t e shell 1. The jacketbody l1 is assembled with the contact carrying cylindrlcal 11 andcomplemental bayonet slots 14` in the bottoms of the recesses 122.

core 15 in a manner to prevent relative rotary and longitudinalmovements between the jacket body and core. This assembly is desirably apermanent one'and is due to the engagement of the core head or/enlargement 151 with the jacket at the junction of the Vjacket bodyenlargement 111 with the balance of the jacket body and also to thejacket projections or lugs 112 that extend into the substance of thecore (Figs. 3 and 4). In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a jacket r1mformation 112 that performsthe function of the jacket lugs 112. IBy thismethod of assembly of the jacket and the contact carrier or core 15relative rotary and relative longitudinal movements between the jacketbody and core are prevented. Y

I provide a jacket cap 12 which is coupled with the contact carrier orcore 15 through the intermediationv of the jacket body, the structurebeing'such (as will appear) that the jacket cap may be slipped upon thebody by longitudinal movement of the jacket cap upon the jacket body,there being means whereby the jacket cap andbody may have theirseparation prevented after the cap has beenv placed. To this end theenlargement 111 of the jacket body desirably terminates in the rimformation shown most clearly in Fig. 4 while the contiguous end of thecap 12 desirably has the formation shown most clearly in Fig. 5. Thejacket enlargement 111, as shown in Fig. 4, has two diametricallyopposite outwardly extending wings or parts 11E that are receivable intwo diametrically op osite recesses 122 in the adjacent end of tiie cap12. These recesses 122 extend longitudinally of the jacket and theircontinuity is interrupted by an annular recess 123 which passes throughor intersects the recesses 122 midway thereof. A segmental retainingmember 124 o crates in the groove 133, being concentric wit said grooveand movable along the same. In assembling the cap and jacket body thewings 114 lare bottomed in the recesses 122 and when they are bottomedin these recesses these wings are upon one' side of the. annular recess123 which is angular to and communicates with the recesses 122. Thesegmental retaining member 124 serves to maintain the wings 114According tothe construction illustrated a wing 114 is placed in onerecess 122 beyond which the retaining member 124 has been withdrawnwhereafter this retaining member is -placed over such wing and is movedfar enough to have its other end removed from the other recess 122whereupon the remaining wing 11* is bottomed in this other recess 122.The retaining member 124 is now drawn to a central position lin whichboth lends thereof overlie the wing 114. The cap 12 carries a triangularlug 125 located midway between the'recesses 122 whil@ the segkinkedportion 126 operable in arcual gaps 127 in the cap 12. When the kink isupon one side of the lug 125 one of the recesses 122 is cleared of theretaining member 124 and when the kink is upon the other side of the'lug 12Is the other recess 122 is cleared of the retaining member 124.Vhen the lug 125 is received in the kink 12?' the ends of the retainingmember pass, through both recesses 122 to hold the wings 114 in thebottoms of such recesses. When the wings la're' thus held in position bythe retaining member 124 the cap 12 is prevented from having rotary andlongitudinal movement with respect to the jacket body 11 and the contactcarrier.

The jacket enlargement 111 is preferably A The short flanged -sleeve 16constituting, as

stated, an enlargement of the conductor covering, serves, in all formsof the invention illustrated, to hold said conductor covering and theconductor therein in `fixed relation with the body 11 and the cap 12 sothat the plug` terminal of they conductor may not be accidentlywithdrawn after the cap has been assembled with said bodyas set forth.This sleeve closely engages the serving or other covering 17 for theconductor 18. This conductor terminates in a plug having a ltip 19 whichis provided with a groove 20 that is adapted to receive the tipsof thesprings 21 of a spring jack that is in electrical connection with thecentral contact22 provided upon thecontact carrier. The contact 22 isengageable by the spring pressed contact 10 to include the lamp 5 incircuit. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 theconductor 18 is transversely disposed with respect to thel terminal 22and the jack springs 21, said' conductor passing through an opening 23formed transversely in the contact carrier and laterally of the bore orlongitudinal opening 24 in the carrier, while the jack springs aredisposed in the longitudinal opening 24 that is co-axial with theContact carrier and in which bore the contact 22 is also received. Thejack springs 21 are integrally constructed to form a U- shaped' springstructure whose base is connected with the contact 22 in the bore 24.This is the preferred way of mechanically coupling the spring jack withthe contact carrying core 15.- The passages 23 and 24 communicate withinthe carrier in the region of the front end of the jack that is thusengageable by the plug when inserted through either opening. The jacksprings have plug engagieable formations 21 upon their sides thatirectthe plug tip 19 into engagement therewith when the' plug isinserted laterally through the carrier, these guiding formations 211being formed to be received in the groove 2O of the plug. l

Where the conductor 18, is alined with the contact 22 and the jacksprings 21 the iange -enlargement of the sleeve 16 is disposed beadaptedto either construction of plug.

While LI have herein shown and particularly described the preferredembodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of, construction shown as changes may readily be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, but' having thus described'my invention I claim as -new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thefollowing 1. A circuit extending plug including a contact carrier; ajacket for the same, the jacket being formed in body and skirted'capportions, one of these portions of the jacket having wings and the otherhaving recesses for receiving the wings, there being an additionalrecess in the jacket portion having the aforesaid recesses and whichadditional rel'cess intersects the other recesses; and a retainingmember operable in the'additional recess and disposable above thebottoms of the other recesses to retain the wings in such otherrecesses. y

2. A circuitextending plug including a contact carrier: a jacket for thesame` the jacket being formed in body and skirted cap portions, one ofthese portions of the jacket having wings and the other having recessesfor receiving the wings, there being an additional recess in the jacketportion having the aforesaid recesses and which additional recessintersects the other recesses; and a retaining member operable in theadditional recess and disposableabove the bottoms of the other recessesto retain the wings in such other recesses, said retaining member beingshiftable to clear first one and thenA the other of such other recesses.

3. A circuit extending plug including a contact carrier; a jacket forthe same, the jacket being formed in body and skirted cap portions, oneof these portions of the jacket having wings and the other havingrecesses for receiving the wings, there being an `additional recess inthe jacket portion having the aforesaid recesses and which additionalrecess intersects the Otherecesses; a retaining member operable in theadditional recess andi" disposable above the bottoms of the otherrecesses to retain the wings in such other recesses, said retainingmember 4being shiftable to clear 'first one and then the other of suchother recesses; and means for holding` the retaining member in a centralposition over the bottoms of such other recesses.

4. A circuit extending lplug including a contact carrier; a jacket forthe same, the jacket being formed in body and ski'rtedcap portions, oneof these portions of the jacket having wings and the other havingrecesses v for receiving the wings, 4there being an additional recessinthe jacket portion having the aforesaid recesses and which additionalrecess intersects the other recesses; a retaining member operable in theadditional re- '.cess and disposable above the bottoms of the thecorresponding portion of the jacket, this lug being receivable withinthe kink of the kinked portion.

Er. A circuit continuing device including a plug; a contact carrierhaving a bore and aA plug receiving opening disposed laterally andcommunicating with said bore which 1s also open at its forward end toreceive the plug; and a spring jack upon the carrier and positioned tobe 'engageable by the plug when inserted into said bore longitudinallyor laterally thereof, said spring jack including a spring havingformations upon its side and at its ends, one of these formations beingadapted to direct the conducting plug into engagement with the jack whensuch plug is linserted transversely of the c arrier and the other ofthese formations belngadapted to direct the conducting plugy intoengagement with the jack when such plug is inserted into thecarrierlongitudinally of the bore.

6. A circuit continuing device including a plug; a contact carrierhaving afbore and a plug receiving opening disposed laterally of andcommunicating with said bore which is also open at its forward end toreceive the plug; and a spring jack upon the carrier and alined withboth of said openings to be engageable by the plug when inserted intosaid bore longitudinally or laterally thereof.

7. A circuit extending plug including a contact carrier; a jacket forthe contact carrier having a body portion and a skirted cap portion, one-of these portions of the jacket having a ,recess and the other portionof the ,jacket having a part receivable in said reand angular to andlcommunicating with the aforesaid recess; and a retaining memberoperable in the additional recess and disposable above the bottom of theother recess to receive lthe aforesaid part of one of the jacketportions between the retaining member and said recess bottom whereby theretaining member serves to hold such part in assembly with the acketportion having the recess. 10

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of July,A. D. 1917.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

